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Ugandan Arts and Culture with Andrew Mayiga KaggwaWed, 07 Nov 2018 14:14:14 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.25​To or not to watch Big Brother Naija?http://tsupug.com/%e2%80%8bto-or-not-to-watch-big-brother-naija/
http://tsupug.com/%e2%80%8bto-or-not-to-watch-big-brother-naija/#commentsThu, 23 Mar 2017 09:35:49 +0000http://tsupug.com/?p=832The ongoing edition of Big Brother Naija is codenamed See Gobe! Just like that song that made Nigerian artiste Davido famous. And much as the house is located in South Africa, all housemates are Nigerian, in fact, listening to all of them talk is a memory run through the pathetic films that made their way …

]]>The ongoing edition of Big Brother Naija is codenamed See Gobe! Just like that song that made Nigerian artiste Davido famous. And much as the house is located in South Africa, all housemates are Nigerian, in fact, listening to all of them talk is a memory run through the pathetic films that made their way from Lagos to our TV screens thanks to Africa Magic.
Since the show became a phenomenon, it’s the second time a Big Brother involving only housemates from a single country has been broadcast all over the continent.

The first one was still Nigeria, ten years back. Then, there was very little felt cultural imperialism from the Nigerians, Africa consumed their dramas but still had the liberty to enjoy music from Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania and Angola among others thanks to Channel O and the then new MTV Base.

In 2006, Blu*3, Chameleone, Bebe Cool, Halima Namakula, Lady Titi earned international nominations in Channel O awards, Kora and MOBO awards. A year later, Bebe Cool and Peter Miles would pick up three awards at the Channel O event in South Africa.

More artistes from East Africa like Keko, Nameless, P-Unit, Sauti Sol, AY and Wahu would go on to win such awards like the MTV MAMAs, Channel O Awards, Kora Awards and the rest.

As Big Brother Naija launched at the beginning of this year, the sentiments had of course changed, what East Africans and other African countries used to look at as a fair share of the cake is fast becoming a Nigerian cake.

For instance, unlike the past years where you could find Navio’s song playing on MTV Base countdown, today you will find a Niaja Top Ten, Africa Magic that aired one of the first Ugandan productions, Fate by Cindy Magara strictly airs Nigerian content on over eight platforms that have been availed to the entire continent.

That’s to say, much as Trace Mziki has a geographical restriction of only being viewed in East Africa, Trace Naija is available to all subscribers regardless of where they are located and the same applies to Maisha Magic East and Bongo.

These all make the rest of Africans feel like they are being used to promote a single culture and country that when the reality show was launched, there was a backlash that got people questioning why Big Brother Naija was available for the entire continent if they were not going to be inclusive at all.

“It’s ok for Nigeria to have its own Big Brother, but it’s wrong for them to force it onto us,” a viewer from Malawi once tweeted.

In a series of tweets, he went on to wonder why a show that has Nigerian celebrity guests, performers, DJs and music is being pushed on all the platforms of the pay TV yet they’ve not done the same when the show was still continental.

In a facebook post earlier this year, Roni Mulindwa, husband to former Big Brother Africa housemate Sharon O, seemed to wonder why this particular Big Brother was available to the entire continent when Big Brother Mzanzi was only a South African affair.

“This is typical Nigeria pushing their stuff down our throats, they started off with MTV Base, to Trace Urban,” he said on the same thread.

Ugandans that love the show usually feel like they are being attacked by those that question the relevance of showing Big Brother Naija to the entire continent, they tend to argue that it’s a free will and no one forces them to watch, while others in defense note that they have been forced to watch just by virtue that for the first time, biggie is available even to a GO TV subscriber.

“The reason we didn’t watch the past seasons of Big Brother Mzanzi is because it wasn’t availed to us, this has been!” said one.

]]>http://tsupug.com/%e2%80%8bto-or-not-to-watch-big-brother-naija/feed/2NTV’s Second Chance struggles to get first chancehttp://tsupug.com/ntvs-second-chance-struggles-to-get-first-chance/
http://tsupug.com/ntvs-second-chance-struggles-to-get-first-chance/#commentsThu, 24 Nov 2016 10:08:50 +0000http://tsupug.com/?p=735When El Cuerpo Del Deseo (Second Chance) debuted on NTV, it was destined for greatness, the adverts that led to its premiere – storyline of a man that had resurrected in a cuter body and was now finding out things about the widow he left behind! When it eventually premiered, Uganda was blown away, in …

]]>When El Cuerpo Del Deseo (Second Chance) debuted on NTV, it was destined for greatness, the adverts that led to its premiere – storyline of a man that had resurrected in a cuter body and was now finding out things about the widow he left behind!

When it eventually premiered, Uganda was blown away, in fact at that time, NTV had redefined the audience of Telenovas, they had men, women and children from all walks of life watching the show, even pastors and priests were slotting things from the show into their sermons.

And to sign everything off, it was the same show that created the famous comedy ‘a.k.a’ Salvador for Patrick Idringi.

In fact a source at NTV reveals that it’s still one of the most successful dramas they have broadcast, which probably informed the station to give the show a second shot, just that this time it would have a Ugandan feel! Allegedly.

The station last debuted a reboot of the famous show said to have been in the works for close to two years.

With crowd pleasing socialites and celebrities like Anita ‘Fabiola’ Kyalimpa, Stella ‘Ella’ Nantumbwe, Roger Mugisha and Fagil Mande among others, the show didn’t receive an easy landing as expected.

The station held a special screening for the first episode at Serena Hotel’s Katonga Hall before premiering the show the next day.

As you could imagine, the people that tuned in to watch the show were enourmous, thanks to the station’s PR machine, but even before the first episode could come to an end, the roaring on social media had become so loud.

Issues raised by the public are clear – they don’t like Fabiola as Fabiola and now she portrays an originally beloved Angela Byekwaso……. yes, Donoso became Byekwaso…such things!, they think Ella (Isabella) is proud and they think Douglas Sebamala (Simon) is stupid among others.

Judging from the first few episode responses, Ugandans are indirectly not impressed with the idea of a remake of a show they still believe is their favorite; for instance, they blamed Sebamala’s Simon, for being stupid and Mande’s Donoso for being a tired hug, yet this is how the characters were written from the original.

According to a film maker that watched the premiere episode, he isn’t ready to watch Fabiola step into Angela’s shoes because in his view, she’s a disgraced socialite; “I guess it would have been better if they created new characters for them,” he says adding that biggest problem is that now people are watching them in comparison with their real life characters as well as the original shows’.

On one of the platforms, actor and director Phillip Luswata noted that since many have already watched Second Chance, the show is not here to thrive on suspense as the story unfolds; “Iam sure the show was singled out for its novelty value – the novelties of watching Ugandans perform a story well known.”
he says that what keeps an audience glued in this case is the rendition or interpretation of characters by the locals; “What then happens when the novelty wears out?”

But Second Chance is not as bad as people are expressing, in fact, it was a fair job done, the only problem is that the show is competing with its former self, the audience has since watched a better ‘Second Chance’ that they are not willing to settle for less.

Making matters worse, the producers literally copy and pasted the original thing, with it taking characters and storylines that are only dreams in a Ugandan setting, for instance, some wondered if there are rich Ugandans with butlers or a maid whose two sons are living in her boss’ house.

Mande is prolific, though it seems the director is fighting to make him Pedro Donoso than let him interpret the role the way he deems fit – but this also happens with many of the other characters.

Some actors on the show are really good while others need a lot of episodes to start acting; Fabiola’s continuous lack of emotion is exceptional, Ella, she indeed fits the Isabella persona, only problem is that she fails to embrace the pride of womanhood this role comes with, she instead does what she’s good at, being a beauty queen, there are times she talks like she’s actually helping us deliver the lines!

Of course the show will get better with time but sadly, in the entertainment industry, especially TV, people simply move on, they don’t offer second chances.

This is a revised version of the same article that was published in The Observer

]]>http://tsupug.com/ntvs-second-chance-struggles-to-get-first-chance/feed/0Malachi Kirby on portraying Kunta Kintehttp://tsupug.com/malachi-kirby-portraying-kunta-kinte/
http://tsupug.com/malachi-kirby-portraying-kunta-kinte/#commentsFri, 08 Jul 2016 12:43:34 +0000http://tsupug.com/?p=510Malachi Kirby is an English actor known for his roles in EastEnders and Doctor Who. This year, many TV lovers were introduced to Malachi after he reprised the role of Kunta Kinte in the remake of popular slavery drama Roots. The series that wrapped early this week of course too had that emotional part where …

]]>Malachi Kirby is an English actor known for his roles in EastEnders and Doctor Who. This year, many TV lovers were introduced to Malachi after he reprised the role of Kunta Kinte in the remake of popular slavery drama Roots.

The series that wrapped early this week of course too had that emotional part where Kunta Kinte was hoisted and whipped as he was being forced to denounce his African name.

Malachi says in an interview with Haffington post that his emotions got the best of him as they shoot the brutal beating.

In this Q&A though, Malachi talks about resurrecting the role of Kunta Kinte, almost forty years after the debut of the original series in 1977.

Q: So Malachi, what does it mean for you to be part of Roots?
Malachi: Well, it’s been life changing, to say the least. It’s actually quickened me to look into my own roots. I’ve played this character, Kunta Kinte, and I’ve gone on his journey, and I’ve seen what has helped him to survive. It’s his understanding of where he came from, for the most part. That spoke to me in a big way. I am second generation Jamaican. I live in London; I was born in London, and I don’t know where I came from. I don’t know my history past my grandparents, so I feel like there is a lack of identity there that, in some ways, has disempowered me. So yes, being part of this has made me want to find out where I come from.Q: What do you hope that the audience will get from this show? This programme is very much about how to stay true to yourself in a time of injustice. It’s very much about the bond in the family, and the importance of the family. The family protects you in such terrible times. It’s the importance of identity, that you keep your identity all the time. It protects you.
Malachi: I really hope that the audience that watches this project will take away a sense of peace from it, a sense of healing, I think, that a lot of people don’t want to see themselves as slaves anymore. They don’t want to see that story. They’ve seen the original Roots, and they have expectations of what this will be. I really hope that people can embrace this as something new.
We have a lot more information now to give a lot more facts. It, essentially, is the same story, but we’re telling it in a very different way.

I hope that this brings about healing for a lot of people and a sense of empowerment; the understanding of the knowledge of self, and how that can empower you. The importance of family, and keeping that bond alive. We live in an age where families don’t even sit down for dinner anymore at the table. So this understanding of unity within the family. Hopefully, that will bring about unity outside of the family, also.
Also, the understanding of the important of staying true to yourself and being integral. For me, a big part of this story is the understanding that we may live in a society that doesn’t allow you to be integral to who you are. For me, that’s a big part of why this story is important. Because what we see are characters who remain so. Against many injustices and many struggles, they hold on to exactly who they are. I feel that’s very encouraging and very empowering. It’s something that we can all take on, the importance of that. Not becoming who people say we should be, but being true to ourselves.

]]>http://tsupug.com/malachi-kirby-portraying-kunta-kinte/feed/0Fond memeries as Kunta Kinte joins Historyhttp://tsupug.com/fond-memeries-as-kunta-kinte-joins-history/
http://tsupug.com/fond-memeries-as-kunta-kinte-joins-history/#commentsSat, 18 Jun 2016 13:56:15 +0000http://tsupug.com/?p=454Thumbs up for the ‘millennials’ Roots! any one? No body? Part of my childhood wasn’t the neatest – well, we had one of the few TVs in the community, but we could only watch it after showering. That’s Life Mwattu was then a hit and we would sit down to get ready to watch it …

Part of my childhood wasn’t the neatest – well, we had one of the few TVs in the community, but we could only watch it after showering.

That’s Life Mwattu was then a hit and we would sit down to get ready to watch it before those older than us would send us to our beds – yet for some reason, we somehow knew who Nakawudde was or the long theme song that started the show.

The one thing we were though allowed to immerse in was Roots, we called it Kunta Kinte, in fact people like me found out it was indeed called Roots after 2000.

This story was as interesting as emotional, whenever, it was on, my older sister would call me to sit just next to her, in that way, if there was no action happening on TV and I dossed off, I would easily rest my head on thighs – so I thought.

I only learnt later that she wanted me to be close by, just in case the action was P18, she could easily flash her hands before my eyes, and it happened a lot when we watched Roots, though on parts like one of an axe cutting off Kunta’s feet, I willingly hid my face.

On Wednesday, the epic story about a young man that was captured from Gambia was reenacted by a star studded cast in a brand new four part Roots that premiered on DSTV’s History Channel.

In Uganda, MultiChoice Uganda celebrated the premiere with a special screening at the most famous cinema at the moment, Century Cinema, besides the food and drinks, there was a lot to learn from the audience, mostly made of film makers – these guys have their blonde moments…but we won’t get into that.

Roots!

This could be the first time many millennials are getting closer to slavery outside Lupita N’yongo and Ejiofor Chiwetel’s 12 Years A Slave and probably they are convinced they’ve discovered something great.

Well, it’s the new Roots; the cast is rich, from Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne, Anika Noni Rose and Jonathan Rhys Myers among others.

Much as one is an adoption of the other, the two mini-series both have their moment and it’s clear that the directors of the new edition, Bruce Beresford, Thomas Carter, Mario Van Peebles and Phillip Noyce who directed the first episode were trying to veer the story to a new school of viewers, probably the millennials, thus, they altered bits of the 1977 classic to make the new one more dynamic.

Besides the costuming, which is usually a problem for guys that do such films, the new Roots seems to have a lot going for it, Malachi Kirby replaces a childish Kunta Kinte that the 1977 edition served us and yes, he has the looks that made MultiChoice’s PR Tina Wamala pause with his picture as if he were around.

He’s a sex symbol of sorts, he has abs, muscles and unlike he’s predecessor who was arrested while looking for wood! Really wood, this guy was arrested in the middle of declaring his love….More like a war film. And of course he knows how to fight.

Why I call this a millennials, Roots, they went out of the way to make it as accessible for them, they love stars and message, they gave them that, oh, before I forget, actually T.I too makes an appearance…

There’s an argument among white people about blacks having to move on from the slavery stories since life is working on fine for them, but my, yes, my school of thought is as long as some guy is still making war films with white saviors, we need the slaves triumph too, it feels good to know that at the time our fore fathers were being shipped to Europe and America, some didn’t go down without a fight or died trying to be free.

Roots screens on History Channel every Wednesday at 8:30pm and a repeat on Lifetime every Sunday.

]]>http://tsupug.com/fond-memeries-as-kunta-kinte-joins-history/feed/0E! taps into the African market, and we are not excitedhttp://tsupug.com/e-taps-into-the-african-market-and-we-are-not-excited/
http://tsupug.com/e-taps-into-the-african-market-and-we-are-not-excited/#commentsWed, 08 Jun 2016 10:35:34 +0000http://tsupug.com/?p=385It’s a common belief that with Africa making strides in many of the fields of science, education and business; it has been a target market for different economies. Of course with the investment coming into the continent, it’s rather easy to assume that the western exploitation of the African markets is all done. But targets …

It’s a common belief that with Africa making strides in many of the fields of science, education and business; it has been a target market for different economies.

Of course with the investment coming into the continent, it’s rather easy to assume that the western exploitation of the African markets is all done.

But targets have since shifted to marketing art, television, music and film among other things to the once forgotten Dark Continent.

In 2005, Viacom through their MTV music channels expressed an interest in the African continent, having exploited many parts of the world, they found it relevant to create a music channel that would unite almost 53 countries through a song.

Today MTV Base has become a yardstick of quality visuals and has been credited with opening up Africa to the world and thus the formation of more channels like Trace Africa, MSNBC Africa, Telemundo, Comedy Central, FOX Africa as well as Netflix among others.

Much as some are literally syndicating already famous American TV shows and dramas, others have taken the initiative to create original African content, oftenly inspired by the original shows; these are shows like The Voice, Pop Idols, Got Talent and Big Brother Among others.

At the beginning of this year, famous pop culture channel E!, mostly famous for telling Ugandans about the Kardashians launched E! NewsAfrica Specials, exclusive shows that talk about lives of different continental superstars.

The thirty minute segments are done to cover many things that an E! True Hollywood Story would cover, just that these seem to be done in just a day thus only depend on the story of the person being interviewed.

Much as the show premiered in South Africa at the end of 2015, many in the rest of Afrivca have only hada glimpse of it this year with profiles of AKA, radio and TV personality, Bonang Matheba, singer Danny K and actress Terry Pheto among others.

However, just like the trend has been in the past, majority of the Africans are not impressed by E!’s latest effort, many think it’s simply immature for the channel to shop around only South African celebrities and call that ‘African’.

It is not the first time, Africa has felt shorthanded especially when syndicated shows try to appeal to the continent, for instance, BET Africa’s first attempt to woo Africans saw them create the first season of Top Actor with twelve contestants that were from the different provinces of South Africa, the second season had two Kenyans, three Nigerians and seven South Africans, even the latest addition, Lip synch Battle Africa on MTV and MTV Base are not any better as all the competitions have been between South Africans and Nigerians.

A new season of the E! profiles have been advertised to start on June 12, though, besides Tanzania’s Diamond Platinuumz, all the other interviews to look out for like Mafikizolo, Tiwa Savage, Casper Nyovest, D’Banj and Rita Dominic are all from South Africa and Nigeria.

In addition to that, they’ve also been doing a South African version of Live from the Red Carpet covering the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) earlier in the year and South African Music Awards (SAMAs) on Sunday.

Geraldine Nakuya, an ardent fan of the Kardashians notes that, E!’s latest move is short of any surprises since that’s how all foreign shows that have to come to Africa have viewed us; “Just two countries.”

]]>http://tsupug.com/e-taps-into-the-african-market-and-we-are-not-excited/feed/0Why Compact MultiChoice subscribers won’t have the English Premier Leaguehttp://tsupug.com/why-compact-multichoice-subscribers-wont-have-the-english-premier-league/
http://tsupug.com/why-compact-multichoice-subscribers-wont-have-the-english-premier-league/#commentsSat, 05 Sep 2015 09:38:00 +0000http://tsupug.com/?p=68Tim Jacobs, CEO of MultiChoice Africa earlier this week attributed the company’s decision to move English Premiership matches to its Premium Bouquet to the rise in amount paid for the league’s rights.While talking to journalists at a press conference in Mauritius, Jacobs says that they had dropped the premiership to Compact Plus hoping that it …

Tim Jacobs, CEO of MultiChoice Africa earlier this week attributed the company’s decision to move English Premiership matches to its Premium Bouquet to the rise in amount paid for the league’s rights.While talking to journalists at a press conference in Mauritius, Jacobs says that they had dropped the premiership to Compact Plus hoping that it would garner more subscriber scale at a cheaper price to help cover the cost of the rights, but notes that the objective was never achieved.Since the company didn’t want to increase the prices of Compact Plus, they made a decision to take the beloved football league back to only the premium subscribers.He also throws more light on the fact that when they lost right to GTV back in 2006, the public applauded though after the later left the market, the rights were re-signed at a 70% higher rate than before.

]]>http://tsupug.com/why-compact-multichoice-subscribers-wont-have-the-english-premier-league/feed/0Multichoice celebrates variety African contenthttp://tsupug.com/multichoice-celebrates-variety-african-content/
http://tsupug.com/multichoice-celebrates-variety-african-content/#commentsSat, 05 Sep 2015 08:30:00 +0000http://tsupug.com/?p=69It was a magical night filled with #OnlyTheBest of African entertainment when MultiChoice Africa kicked off its second #OnlyTheBest Content Showcase Extravaganza in spectacular style at the Outrigger Resort, Mauritius.The event, dubbed ‘Night of a Thousand Stars’ saw all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, Bollywood and Nollywood come to life on the island paradise, …

It was a magical night filled with #OnlyTheBest of African entertainment when MultiChoice Africa kicked off its second #OnlyTheBest Content Showcase Extravaganza in spectacular style at the Outrigger Resort, Mauritius.The event, dubbed ‘Night of a Thousand Stars’ saw all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, Bollywood and Nollywood come to life on the island paradise, as guests that include Genevieve Nnaji, Rita Dominic, Desmond Elliot and Ramsey Nuoah were given the full movie-star treatment.Flavour, Stonebwoy and The Mavins kept the guests on their feet with their popular hits while last year’s MCs IK and Eku proved that they still had the gist, it’s like they were picking up from where they stopped last year in Trau Aux Bitches, they kept the glamorous proceedings running smoothly.Guest also experienced host IK who also brought his popular show, High Lites with IK, to the stage with a delightful interview with Nigerian crooner Banky W alongside music by DJ Sousa.MultiChoice Africa’s CEO Tim Jacobs who welcomed guests promised that the video entertainment service provider will do all it can to make only the best content available to its subscribers on any platform, on any device and at any time.“We believe television is an extremely powerful tool that can educate, entertain and inform. The evolution of this medium has become fast and furious and as a business we are constantly evolving to stay ahead,” he said.Jacobs lauded the success of MultiChoice’s GOtv DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) offering, which currently operates in 8 countries, bringing low-cost digital television to homes and supporting governments in freeing up vital broadcast spectrum by switching from analogue to digital signal.He also acknowledged the challenges which the business faces. “Our growth over the last 20 years has been a result of massive investments we have made in people, content and technology – but as with any business, not all of these investments or changes have hit the spot…. so we have from time to time re-evaluated our position and made changes to our strategies. At the end of the day however it is really our subscribers we have to thank for staying with us, trusting us to deliver the best television experience and customer service to make their experience world class,” said Jacobs.However, it wasn’t all magic for the organizers, only a day after the openning, Multichoice was put on spot for prioritizing Nigerian content over that from other countries.Officials from the pay TV agreed that it’s true they may have had most of their strategies on East Africa wrong and they are thinking of going back to the drawing board.

]]>http://tsupug.com/multichoice-celebrates-variety-african-content/feed/0Big Brother Africa cancelled!!!http://tsupug.com/big-brother-africa-cancelled/
http://tsupug.com/big-brother-africa-cancelled/#commentsWed, 29 Jul 2015 14:43:00 +0000http://tsupug.com/?p=75Big Brother Africa is definately Africa’s most controversial and yet most watched reality TV show – from the sex, alcohol binge and idleness, the show gets pastors and social media residents around the continent talking like no other. Last year during South Africa’s Big Brother Mzansi season on the Mzansi Magic and Big Brother channels, …

Big Brother Africa is definately Africa’s most controversial and yet most watched reality TV show – from the sex, alcohol binge and idleness, the show gets pastors and social media residents around the continent talking like no other. Last year during South Africa’s Big Brother Mzansi season on the Mzansi Magic and Big Brother channels, a male contestant was removed after hitting a woman in the show. M-Net called this “an isolated incident”.In April this year, the latest Big Brother Mzansi season exploded in controversy over alleged rape when a male contestant bragged how he “dipped her” when he allegedly had sex with a drunk and passed out female contestant who was horrified about what she was told happened.As many Ugandans may remember, in 2003, the then country representative Geatano Kaggwa is said to have had sex with a South African contestant. Big Brother has always survived on controversy and thus news of its cancelling was shocking.

According to a South African newspaper, the show failed to attract sponsorship this year, thus being forced to pull the plug on this year’s edition. Tina Wamala, MultiChoice Uganda’s PR, in an email noted that the show will not take place even though it’s sister shows like Mzansi and Angola have been held. This is of course a big blow the the fans of the show though good news from the moralist that have wanted Big Brother off air since 2003.Biggie as it is popularly known is credited to have created African stars like Geatano, Uti, Vimbai, Tatiana and Kacey MO among others.Many hope M-Net and MultiChoice will now channel the energy and money into promoting African art.“It’s good we are not going to have to go through that brothel treatment this year,” said one commentator on social media.If it comes back, this won’t be the first time the show has gone on a haitus, in 2003, after the inaugural Big Brother Africa, they went on a three year break that saw them only return in 2007 with a new presenter and concept.Onorchie Orgor, a Nigerian viewer said that the show had stayed beyond the sell by date and was adding nothing to entertainment and African pop culture.The show suffered a setback last year when the house gutted fire only days to the premiere and it seems that even that attention didn’t help on the ratings, and then the bad reputation of violence and rape were just enough to send sponsors the opposite way.

However the show’s producers are not settled and hope to make a comeback in 2016.Uganda has in the past had contestants like Maureen Namatovu, Ernest Wasike, Sharon Nalukenge, Denzel Mwiyeretsi, Lugudde, Morris Mugisha and Stella Nantumbwe among others.

]]>http://tsupug.com/big-brother-africa-cancelled/feed/0Channel O set to shutdown as BET Africa comes inhttp://tsupug.com/channel-o-set-to-shutdown-as-bet-africa-comes-in/
http://tsupug.com/channel-o-set-to-shutdown-as-bet-africa-comes-in/#commentsFri, 13 Mar 2015 15:27:00 +0000http://tsupug.com/?p=97Viacom Africa will launch a BET syndicate channel on DStv next month.The channel has been designed to elevate the rich variety and positive values of African and African – American culture, thus putting a local touch to the international channel.Going live April 2, 2015, BET Africa will be exclusive to Multichoice and specifically DStv on …

Viacom Africa will launch a BET syndicate channel on DStv next month.The channel has been designed to elevate the rich variety and positive values of African and African – American culture, thus putting a local touch to the international channel.Going live April 2, 2015, BET Africa will be exclusive to Multichoice and specifically DStv on channel 129, premium bouquet. Most of the programming schedule that Tsup Ug has at least seen is not really different from that on the BET channel that’s largely accessed on Channels 135 (DSTV) and 23 on GOtv; from the likes of Being Mary Jane, The Wendy Williams’ Show to Kevin Hart’s spoof reality hit Real Husbands of Hollywood, there are a couple of new shows like Martin Lawrence’s 1st Amendment Stand-Up and the only African show at the moment, a South African reality series, Top Actor.The viewers of BET Africa will though have a chance of watching many of these shows including live events like award shows, way before they air on the current channel, which will by the effect of April 2 become BET2.The communication about the new BET comes barely a day after it was revealed that Pan African music TV Channel O would be shutting down to concentrate on the South African market.So is BET coming with opportunities and a new platform for African content producers? Well we can too just watch the space.According to the Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks Africa, Alex Okosi, BET will connect viewers with international trends, talent and thought leaders, whilst simultaneously celebrating Africa’s talent and creativity.“This evolution for the BET brand on the continent significantly broadens our general entertainment offering and provides a dynamic and compelling new destination for viewers.”BET has in the past year been recognizing African music exploits in the annual BET awards where the likes of Radio and Weasel, Diamond from Tanzania, Kenya’s Camp Mulla as well as Mafikizolo and Donald among others have been nominated.All of the awards have gone to Nigerians with the exception of one that was won by Ghana’s Sarkodie.The channel has also come under fire many times for presenting the Best International Act: Africa before an empty auditorium and thus never broadcasting it as part of the live show but with the launch of a sister channel, there’s hope that Africa may actually get a chance for even a performance at the show this year. The move comes as VIACOM Africa celebrates ten years of operations on the continent which started with the launch of MTV Base in 2005.

]]>http://tsupug.com/channel-o-set-to-shutdown-as-bet-africa-comes-in/feed/0Deceptions 5 promises more dramahttp://tsupug.com/deceptions-5-promises-more-drama/
http://tsupug.com/deceptions-5-promises-more-drama/#commentsTue, 13 Jan 2015 09:32:00 +0000http://tsupug.com/?p=112“Oli musiru oba oli mujega” – Maama NalweyisoHello everyone, and welcome to what promises to be a fantastic season of Deceptions, that’s if the trailer and the first episode that was screened at Club Guvnor on Monday are anything to go by.Surprisingly, it was the season five premiere of probably the biggest TV drama at …

“Oli musiru oba oli mujega” – Maama NalweyisoHello everyone, and welcome to what promises to be a fantastic season of Deceptions, that’s if the trailer and the first episode that was screened at Club Guvnor on Monday are anything to go by.Surprisingly, it was the season five premiere of probably the biggest TV drama at the moment (one would wonder when season four aired but that’s not the discussion today, lets hope they will let us know when five ends that we don’t meet again next year to be told seven is on.)As you could imagine, the show ended on a high, all the lies, the baby, a couple of revelations and the missing Lillian.The season opened with Lillian being dumped off by a van, this was after she had been given one hell of a beating by one of the various bad guys on the show. (see they have too many of them and one struggles with emotions)Did i mention Lillian was a diva even when she was unconscious?Maama Nalweyiso, as you can see in the quotation above, is amazing, she has the best adlibs on the show, I guess she has fully learnt to live her character even off the screen.Now that Lillian is hurt, we assume Gilbert will gain mysterious super powers and kill that Bataka guy for hurting her, I think it will be a good opportunity for the writers to kill off that character, watching him is pain enough, that’s if he’s behind it all.This season boosts of better scripting and editing, I guess the cast is very comfortable with the roles that these days they don’t pretend to be the characters, they live those lives.There were problems however with the first scene, I feel like we spent almost a minute watching Monica crying for a heavily beaten Lillian, that time could have been used to move the story further, not that the scene was useless, it was prolonged for no reason.Then there were continuity issues like how Chris mysteriously grew a mustache, yet he had none in the ‘previously’ of the same scene.Pretty Katende has since changed her hair style to tinted one inch, thus am hoping the story will try to explain her change of style, otherwise it is a good story and we can’t wait for the episode tonight.